Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he believes he has a moral duty to apologise for his actions during the 1987 coup, telling the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that seeking forgiveness is an essential part of healing Fiji’s past.
Rabuka said he fully accepts that not everyone will welcome his apology, but stressed that offering it is his responsibility.
“Believe it, I have a duty to apologize,” he said. “People can either accept or not accept my apologies.”
He told the Commission that he is prepared for either outcome.
“So I will apologise and ask for forgiveness. If I get it, fine. If I don’t, it is no longer my burden.”
Rabuka added that he also seeks spiritual forgiveness.
“I can ask God for the forgiveness,” he said, expressing hope that the process would eventually bring communities together.
The Prime Minister also revealed that some people had urged him not to appear before the Commission.
“On my way here, I saw an email: ‘Please do not go. It will cause no focus.’ And this morning, I saw another message from a well-known Fijian living abroad: ‘Do not go. It is no use.’”
Despite this, he said coming forward was important.
“There are people out there saying this is of no use. To me, it’s very useful. It gives me an opportunity for people to hear me, to see why I did what I did. They may agree, they may not agree — but it is my reasoning.”
